It is now commonplace for cable television system subscribers to have access to 40 channels or more. Of the available channels, it is likely that a viewer will have certain "favorites" which he watches more often than the others. For example, a viewer may have a favorite channel for news reports, another for sports, and yet another for entertainment.
A television receiver model AV2771S, manufactured by JVC Corporation, Japan, provides a menu-selectable list of five "favorite channels" stored in each of five categories, "NETWORKS", "MOVIES", "SPORTS", "NEWS", AND "CHOICE". However, it is felt that having a call up a menu and then having to select a menu entry for channel selection defeats a prime advantage of the favorite channel function. That is, a "favorite channel" function should provide a quick and easy way for a viewer to return to a desired channel from any other channel.
One way to provide quick and easy access to the favorite channel function is to provide an array of dedicated keys, one for each favorite channel. An example of such a system is the FORD Electronic Search AM/FM Stereo Radio installed in certain 1988 Mercury Sable automobiles. This radio includes 6 dedicated station memory preset buttons for selecting preferred AM and FM stations. Unfortunately, with systems employing dedicated keys, a number of extra keys must be added to the keyboard, making it both costly and complex.